The name Ditalini means “little thimbles” for its resemblance to the small sewing object. Ditalini’s tiny, tubular pasta shape is a perfect complement to any pasta soup recipe. Ditalini is typically used in the rustic Italian soup, pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans) but can be used in minestrone or any other classic pasta soups. Ditalini is also a nice alternative to Penne or Rotini in pasta salad recipes where you need just a little pasta bite.